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How Mr. Inbetween was the one that got away from SBS

Before three seasons on Foxtel, Scott Ryan crime drama was originally developed at SBS.

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Hit Foxtel crime drama series Mr. Inbetween created by and starring Scott Ryan was initially developed at SBS, director / producer Nash Edgerton has revealed.

Speaking yesterday ay Future Vision, Edgerton (below) outline the long road to Ryan’s “overnight success” as the hitman and father Raymond “Ray” Shoesmith.

Edgerton became aligned with the project after seeing Ryan’s early short film The Magician before helping to develop it at SBS under then drama boss, Debbie Lee.
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Yesterday Lee was also moderating a panel on Comedy.

“We took it around to the limited places you could back in 2006 and the one person that that responded to it was you at SBS,” Edgerton explained. “So we developed scripts with SBS and yourself. I think we developed eight scripts. We did a few rounds of development and then you left to go to the ABC. The moment you left the next person who came in, didn’t get it and it didn’t happen.

“We took it to a couple other places. You know, we went back to a few places now we had scripts and everyone turned it down.

“We had people saying it should be an hour show. We were trying make a half hour drama. Other people suggesting we should cast this actor or that actor and I’m like, ‘No, it has to be Scott.’, So I just refused to make it unless he was was the lead.”

The project stalled until FX Australia agreed to produce it in 2016, which Edgerton directed as a part series with Brooke Satchwell, Justin Rosniak, Nicholas Cassim, Damon Herriman and Chika Yasumura.

But then moreproblems arose when Foxtel bought FX Australia and decided not to take the series.

“I showed it to Foxtel, they didn’t really know what it was even though I’d completed it,” he recalled.

As the compeleted series languished, Edgerton contacted Sundance which screened 3 episodes in its new indie TV section.

“We didn’t get a lot of attention, but we got reviewed quite well. During that time, Michelle (Bennett) who produced the show, and I, noticed in the contract we had with FX Australia that FX US had a first look at it,” he continued.

Edgerton sent the series to FX for consideration.

“I called them every week for like six or seven weeks. And then one day I got a call back saying that John Landgraf wanted to meet me. We went in there and everyone there had seen the show. They all loved the show, and could they buy it for the world and develop a second season?” he recalled.

“That’s how we ended up at FX ….and then they sold it back to Foxtel!”

Mr. Inbetween would go on to critical acclaim, three seasons, and Best Actor wins for Scott Ryan at the AACTA and Logie Awards.

8 Responses

  1. So SBS stuffed up with a failed hand off when someone left. Foxtel/FX Australia didn’t want to air it. And it was saved by getting 3 episodes aired by Sundance as a cult show in the US, which persuaded FX US to take a risk on it. Yay the Australian TV industry! There isn’t a lot of unseen Australian TV or Drama lying around because they aren’t making much. Fam which 7 has finally put up on 7plus and Human Error which Nine keeps promising to air someday.

  3. I absolutely loved reading this story. Mr Inbetween is brilliant, and I so admire, and thank, everyone who created and worked on the show for their talent and perseverance – and good on FX for having the brains to realise they were sitting on pure gold.

  4. Origin stories of series and movies are fascinating – and I’m surprised they aren’t commonly told.

    There’s an entertaining series on Netflix called “The Movies That Made Us” and some of the origin stories told there are really surprising.

    Studio & networks passing on what would become hit movies and TV shows because they didn’t get the concept. You wonder how some of them keep their jobs.

  5. Terrific show, I really wish they hadn’t ended it so soon.

    SBS’s involvement wasn’t exactly a secret (they’re in the end credits for S1), but had no idea Foxtel had to buy it from FX US!

  6. Brilliant show. But very underrated. Scott Ryan is such a humble man behind the screen. He is a great actor in Mr Inbetween, hence why he won several awards.

    Also shows how hard it is to start a show from scratch.

  7. An outstanding show with great talent involved in front of and behind the camera.

    Full credit to Scott, Michelle and Nash for their refusal to compromise.

    This story makes you wonder how many other great Australian shows are out there sitting on shelves waiting to be made or picked up.

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